
Wild Ideas Worth Living
High-impact interviews for those who love adventure and the outdoors. Host and journalist Shelby Stanger interviews world-class explorers, athletes, authors, scientists, health experts and entrepreneurs about how they’ve taken their own wild ideas and made them a reality, so you can too. Some of the wildest ideas can lead to the most rewarding adventures.
Latest episodes

Nov 26, 2024 • 32min
How-to Survive in the Wilderness with Jessie Krebs
Jessie Krebs is a wilderness survival expert and Air Force veteran who prepares people for worst-case scenarios. Since her time in the Air Force, Jessie has used her experience to open her own wilderness survival school with a mission to share her knowledge with everyone, especially women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ folks, so they can more confidently, and safely explore the outdoors.Connect with Jessie: Instagram O.W.L.S. Skills website Thank you to our sponsor: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees

Nov 19, 2024 • 26min
Running a Marathon at Any Speed with Martinus Evans
12 years ago Martinus Evans went on his first run. Despite the initial struggle, he went on to complete his first marathon just 18 months later. Today, Martinus is a marathon runner, author, speaker, and the founder of the Slow AF Run Club, a community of over 40,000 members that motivates runners of all speeds to go after their big goals. Connect with Martinus: WebsiteInstagramSlow AF website & InstagramThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund grantees

Nov 12, 2024 • 30min
Open Ocean Swimming at 73 with Pat Gallant-Charette
Pat Gallant-Charette is a 73-year-old record-breaking marathon swimmer with nine Guinness World Records under her belt. From swimming across the English Channel to navigating Lake Ontario and Lake Zurich, Pat has proven that age is no barrier to big dreams. When she’s not taking on epic swims, you’ll find her tending to her garden, beekeeping, or tapping her own maple trees.Connect with Pat: WebsiteInstagramIf you enjoyed this episode: Listen to Ice Swimming with Melissa KeglerThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesDannerListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast!

Nov 5, 2024 • 31min
Climbing 58 14ers in 14 Days with Dan Hobbs
In 2022, Dan Hobbs achieved the record as the fastest self-supported person to climb all 58 of Colorado’s 14ers— a mountain that exceeds 14,000 feet in elevation— in just 14 days. Connect with Dan: Instagram If you enjoyed this episode: Listen to 100 Peaks in 50 Days with Jason HardrathThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesDannerListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast!

Oct 29, 2024 • 33min
Walking the Length of Africa with Mario Rigby
Mario Rigby is a serial adventurer who pushes himself to his limit out in nature. He's kayaked across Lake Ontario, biked across the entire country of Canada and walked the length of Africa. No matter what kind of expedition he's on, the motivation remains the same, to witness the good in humanity and challenge others to see it as well. Connect with Mario: WebsiteInstagram YouTubeThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesDannerListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast!

Oct 22, 2024 • 29min
Wild Ice Skating with Angelina Huang
Angelina Huang is a former Team USA figure skater who made the bold decision to retire from the sport at just 18 years old. After taking a step back to reconnect with herself, Angelina found a new passion—wild ice skating, where her love for the ice was reignited by the beauty of natural landscapes around the world.Connect with Angelina: WebsiteInstagram & TikTok Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesDannerListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast!

Oct 15, 2024 • 25min
Telling Jokes on the Trail with Matt Lyons
Comedian Matt Lyons— trail name Schmutz— is a thru-hiker who makes a living poking fun at outdoor enthusiasts. With a sharp wit and countless trail miles under his belt, Matt brings humor to everything from gear obsessions to the unpredictable mishaps of wilderness life.Connect with Matt: Instagram & TikTokWebsiteThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesMerrellListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast!

Oct 8, 2024 • 22min
Becoming a Wildlife Pilot with Denise Joi
Denise Joi is a wildlife pilot and conservationist who’s taken her passion for the outdoors to the skies. Denise works alongside biologists to research, survey, and transport species in an effort to protect biodiversity. Her job is incredibly challenging and takes a lot of planning. But for Denise, it is beyond worth it.Connect with Denise: Instagram Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesMerrellListen to REI’s Camp Monsters Podcast!

Oct 1, 2024 • 31min
Learning to Surf Pipeline with Jade Darmawangsa
At 19, Jade Darmawangsa took on the wild challenge of surfing Pipeline—the most iconic and dangerous wave on the planet. There were two major obstacles: she didn't know how to surf, and she couldn’t swim.Connect with Jade: Website Instagram TikTokYouTubeThank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesMerrellListen to REI's Camp Monsters Podcast!

Sep 24, 2024 • 24min
Ski Mountaineering Through the Backcountry with Eric Carter
Eric Carter is an alpine athlete and endurance coach who discovered the niche sport of ski mountaineering, or "skimo," and never looked back. Skimo involves skiing uphill in the backcountry and riding the slope back down. Eric also founded Ridgeline Athletics, where he helps mountain athletes chase their own wild outdoor adventures.Connect with Eric: WebsiteInstagram Ridgeline Athletics website Thank you to our sponsors: Capital One: Check out the REI Co-op Mastercard program and learn about local REI Fund granteesMerrell